Jean-Claude Van Damme Knocks Out Henderson Brewery Over Beer Name

Action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme apparently has a problem with a Henderson brewery using his name for one of its beers. The martial arts actor’s attorney in Belgium sent CraftHaus Brewery a cease-and-desist letter taking umbrage with the brewery’s Jean Claude Belgian Golden Strong Ale, an annual release brewed since 2014.

CraftHaus owners Wyndee and Dave Forrest named the beer after their brewer Steve Brockman’s van nicknamed Jean Claude Damn Van. Brockman spent a year traveling in the van across the United States to visit breweries.

Wyndee Forrest explains, “The van was notorious for breaking down, hence the use of ‘damn’ as an expletive. Then, the brewery became a resting place for the beer traveling van and took on a personality of its own.”

The couple opted to rename the beer Not That Jean Claude as a reminder of the van that brought the brewers to the brewery. CraftHaus will brew the annual release again in 2019 with its new name but same beer style.

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